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From the world the flesh and the devil….
Good Lord, Deliver Us
Genesis 4:6-7(The Message) God spoke to Cain: “Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it’s out to get you, you’ve got to master it.”
I Peter 5: 8-11(The Message) Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
I live on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee. I can walk out my back door and walk east for about 60 miles and except for crossing a few roads or farms, and dodging one or two small towns I can walk through vast unbroken forests. Then I will arrive at the eastern edge of the Plateau and spy the grand Tennessee Valley. My back yard (forest) hosts all the critters you can hope to see in the wild lands of the South, including plenty of coyotes. They are now the most prolific predators in North America, happily keeping all other critters in check. They will also occasionally snack on Fido and Fluffy, as well as any livestock they can catch.
Coyotes are mostly nocturnal and we are often treated to their nightly serenades. On occasion, in late winter and early spring, before their prey of forest babies are born, their hunger and mate-hunting drives them to skulk about in broad daylight. I have then seen them prowling along the edge of my property, seeing if I have anything to offer. I don’t, and have always kept a close watch on my kittens, puppies and toddlers. The rest of the year they come around at night, leaving paw prints and late night yelps to remind me they are always about. I also know they have been around when I find one of the cats on the roof in the morning, or a possum or raccoon sleeping in the notch of a nearby tree. Recently I put up a trail camera behind my house – my goodness – they come around more often than I ever knew !
Now coyotes aren’t necessarily evil, nor are they denizens of the devil, but their predatory nature and sneaky presence gets my attention. The same should be said about our temptations, our struggles with sin, our appetites, addictions and attitudes. They are always about, they are always relentless, and if you let them, they will devour you. So how do we overcome the world, the flesh and the devil ?
First, be aware, be alert and be adept at knowing yourself, your weaknesses and knowing the things that lead you astray. Next, pray for deliverance when you feel overwhelmed and trust in God to answer. Finally, have confidence in Jesus when He promises this:
John 10:26-30 (The Message) My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”
When the coyotes get too close, a simple “Git !”, yelled at them from my back door suffices. If we are in Christ, the same will work for the tempter at our door. (James 4:7) However, I wonder if too often we would rather wander a little closer to things of the world, the flesh and the devil to see what they offer instead of realizing that they are deadly. I may toss a piece of bread to the raccoon, feed the deer, birds, rabbits and squirrels, but I should never, never offer any welcome to a predator.
Peace. Phil Parsons
P.S. Getting “Political” about evil, although sometimes necessary, is easy; however, you are giving your responsibility away to someone else or an institution. However, actually standing up to evil, first in your own heart and helping others deal with evil is hard work which we would rather avoid. Perhaps if we dealt with evil head-on with Jesus beside us, and leading us, some battles with evil would be won more quickly.
From Rodger:
I wonder if irony is the correct word here. When Phil speaks of how we handle things like coyotes, with a “GIT!” and then makes a very good point about how we should not hand over our responsibility for walking a faithful path to someone else to do for us? It’s as if he were a fly on the wall in my church sanctuary listening to my sermon two days ago.
I began it in what I suspect is a novel way: I asked people if they remembered a movie from the theme song. Then we played about a minute of “Tubular Bells,” the theme song of the 1973 movie that scared the bejeebies out of all of us when we were teenagers. (If you remember The Exorcist the way I do, you probably have a visceral reaction even today to Mike Oldfield’s odd and memorable song.)
But at the bottom of all the fear mongering when movies, books, even preachers and Bible study leaders, try to invoke this kind of evil, warning us of demons, dark forces, and all those other “devices” used so often to “scare the Hell out of people,” (Such an unfortunate term; that doesn’t work, and misses the point!), misses one of the most important points any serious Christian should automatically know. While I do believe in the spiritual realm, including things, even beings that we cannot explain, and fully “get” what Paul is saying in places like Ephesians 6:12s (assuming Pauline authorship): 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” I also remember that if 1st John 4: 4 promises us that the battle is already won, for those of us who choose the let Jesus be in authority over our lives. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
We can’t delegate the responsibility to face reality in our faith lives and spiritual journeys. We can’t hide behind a leader, ideology, or any chiche’ that seem to be so prevalent in our world anymore. (When someone says to you – either on TV or in person, that “Only I can save you and make things great again,” that is EXACTLY what you are being tempted to do.) The battle has been won, Jesus has defeated death and evil, but WE – each one of us, singularly and alone – must decide, just like yelling at a too inquisitive coyote, to in the name of Jesus, say “GIT!”